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Machine guns

If you're anything like me, get the AEG you want first time because if you compromise you'll just want it again later.  If you want an MG42, get that MG42; it's a cool looking toy.

With regards to play style, @Rogerborg's right, slap a box magazine on anything and you're a support gunner in airsoft. That said, if you have a large AEG that's obviously meant to look like an LMG I find people treat you differently. Running my M249 Mk2 I get people asking me for cover fire, moving up when I'm covering. I've also been given permission to be the only auto guy in a semi auto game which people seemed to enjoy on both sides as it added some extra flavour. For this reason, I wouldn't go for a Stoner or Para as they're easily mistaken for ARs. Bet you wouldn't get that problem with the MG42 though! 

 
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a support gunner in airsoft


Or, a "gunner".

Consider that if you're slinging your balls close enough to your target that they're even aware of them, then you're firing for effect, same as everyone else.

Might the "support" bit be more of a narrative device than an objective reality?

 
Might the "support" bit be more of a narrative device than an objective reality?


It absolutely is a narrative device but the difference in gameplay is real in my experience. Also I'd point out "firing for effect" is a reasonable description of what you're supposed to be doing! You can argue the usefulness of the effect but if you keep picking at that thin veneer of fantasy you're going to end up concluding we should just be playing laser tag or at least with something where the ballistics involved aren't ass :B

 
If you're anything like me, get the AEG you want first time because if you compromise you'll just want it again later.  If you want an MG42, get that MG42; it's a cool looking toy.

With regards to play style, @Rogerborg's right, slap a box magazine on anything and you're a support gunner in airsoft. That said, if you have a large AEG that's obviously meant to look like an LMG I find people treat you differently. Running my M249 Mk2 I get people asking me for cover fire, moving up when I'm covering. I've also been given permission to be the only auto guy in a semi auto game which people seemed to enjoy on both sides as it added some extra flavour. For this reason, I wouldn't go for a Stoner or Para as they're easily mistaken for ARs. Bet you wouldn't get that problem with the MG42 though! 
non support guns with box mags is herecy lol, many of the sites I used to play banned their use because people take the piss, & end up more like speedsofters, what next, snipers leading the assault specialising in "360 no scope kills", absolutely no realism, I'm not saying every gameday has to be 100% factually & historically correct but some semblance of identifiable realism should be expected, otherwise what's the point of having so much kit to choose from, might as well have one model of "gun", capable of everything (which the anti gun/airsoft lobbies would probably love to push for, especially if it had no resemblance to a real gun)

Think about it ?

 
many of the sites I used to play banned their use because people take the piss, & end up more like speedsofters, what next, snipers leading the assault specialising in "360 no scope kills", absolutely no realism


I don't think realism should be enforced anywhere but milsim. If someone wants to run around with a HPA tapped hi-capa with a drum mag on an open skirmish day that's cool. Not the kind of game I want to play myself but I'll take a disadvantage in exchange for more fun.

 
might as well have one model of "gun", capable of everything (which the anti gun/airsoft lobbies would probably love to push for, especially if it had no resemblance to a real gun)

Think about it ?
p-p-p-paint...ball...?

 
I don't think realism should be enforced anywhere but milsim. If someone wants to run around with a HPA tapped hi-capa with a drum mag on an open skirmish day that's cool. Not the kind of game I want to play myself but I'll take a disadvantage in exchange for more fun.


p-p-p-paint...ball...?
lol, exactly.

no I'm not suggesting a blanket ban or enforced use everywhere of replicas so that they duplicate their real steel counterparts in use.

BUT, that's not to say that any number of real world scenarios, which aren't that far fetched, couldn't bring in to question our need for such a wide assortment of replicas, there may come a time when any "gun" related pastime may have to justify its existence, & in our case, being able to show that, for example, support guns are used in a support rule, snipers as snipers (prob why I don't like that bastardised Ares sniper pistol "thing"), etc etc, I'm sure you get my drift.

also, everytime we hear of units in the military & law enforcement using airsoft as a viable training tool, that adds more credence to our sport, which all helps.

View attachment 48979

 
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problem is that an mg42 should be running the same fps as a boltgun because in theory it's real counterpart is firing full power rifle ammo, same goes for the m60. and i'm not sure how folk would like 500fps full auto guns with box mags being a thing, no matter how representative it would be.

 
problem is that an mg42 should be running the same fps as a boltgun because in theory it's real counterpart is firing full power rifle ammo, same goes for the m60. and i'm not sure how folk would like 500fps full auto guns with box mags being a thing, no matter how representative it would be.


One of the most retarded things I've read on here for a while.  

Should a 9mm pistol replica should have a power limit 1/3 that of a 5.56mm rifle replica? 

 
One of the most retarded things I've read on here for a while.  

Should a 9mm pistol replica should have a power limit 1/3 that of a 5.56mm rifle replica? 


it was in response to this notion of realism as it applies to airsoft support guns, i'm not seriously suggesting it, just pointing out that if you want these things to be used the same way their real counterparts are they need to have the same capabilities.

and yes in this particular scenario a pistol would need to be significantly lower power than a rifle.

this is of course assuming the objective is to eliminate the validity of say an arp as a more effective alternative to an m60 in airsoft.

 
problem is that an mg42 should be running the same fps as a boltgun because in theory it's real counterpart is firing full power rifle ammo, same goes for the m60. and i'm not sure how folk would like 500fps full auto guns with box mags being a thing, no matter how representative it would be.
Let's not get silly, my thoughts pertain to the real world usage, but obviously not the damage capability, bad enough try to get some twats to take their hits, imagine if you shout "take yer hits mate", only for them to reply "nah mate, that pistols only a .22 in the real world, I'll just walk it off" ?

 
Best thing I've seen with MG's is one of my local sites who tend to run a semi auto only unless using a machine gun rule which also tends to involve having to deploy the bipod etc. Makes for a very different game experience and also means that using an MG as a support weapon does get you localised advantage.

 
^^^

See, that I like, but then you'll get folk who will want to use their DSG Firehawks, or using speedsoft trembly-triggers to spam 30rps on "semi".

Can't please all the airsofters all the time, I guess.

 
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@Rogerborg Fortunately its a small site with a quite tight group of players who all enjoy the kind of games the site runs which protects it from the dsg firehawk speedsoft crowd.

 
RIFT Airsoft offer a different approach to this. Designated Support guns(that actually look like support guns) are allowed 370fps, but must be used as intended. 

Mounted/Bipod out, 3 second trigger pulls, and acting sensibly with it. No one there has abused said rules and I think it works really well.

 
@Prisce.... not arguing but is that not uncomfortably close to the point where full auto capable guns start becoming section 5 firearms according to the legal "lethality" figures?

 
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Best thing I've seen with MG's is one of my local sites who tend to run a semi auto only unless using a machine gun rule which also tends to involve having to deploy the bipod etc. Makes for a very different game experience and also means that using an MG as a support weapon does get you localised advantage.


RIFT Airsoft offer a different approach to this. Designated Support guns(that actually look like support guns) are allowed 370fps, but must be used as intended. 

Mounted/Bipod out, 3 second trigger pulls, and acting sensibly with it. No one there has abused said rules and I think it works really well.
That's what I mean, proper usage, one private game I played a couple of support guns didn't have bipods, so it was agreed that all support guns couldn't be used on the move, ideally leaning on cover or if caught in the open you had to take a knee, & short bursts only.

worked really well, no pisstaking & made people actually plan tactically, instead of the usual headless chicken hosefest.

 
@Prisce.... not arguing but is that not uncomfortably close to the point where full auto capable guns start becoming section 5 firearms according to the legal "lethality" figures?
370 is the hard limit. And if you use it like a pleb, your done. 

 
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